Job Description:
1. Supervises and coordinates the activities of train
crews.
2. Receives oral or written instructions from Manager or
Customer indicating which cars are to be switched.
3. Notifies engineer of switching orders and, whereby,
which cars are to be moved to specified locations of
yard, using radio, telephone, verbal or hand signals.
Gives instructions to throw track switches and to couple
and uncouple cars.
4. Maintains records, number, origin, destination, and
cargo of cars switched.
5. May coordinate activities of switching crew from
locomotive cab, caboose, or control tower.
6. Raises coupling lever to couple or uncouple cars.
7. Throws track switches to facilitate shunting of cars
and signals Engineer to move cars, using lantern, arm
signals or radio.
8. Climbs ladder to top of car, rides atop cars, and
turns handwheel to set brakes or to control the speed of
the car when it has been shunted.
9. Ties handbrakes.
10. Connects airhose to cars when making up trains by
bending and applying up to 35 pounds of force.
11. May walk along tops of cars and peer down between
them to inspect couplings, airhoses, and journal boxes.
12. May set warning signals, such as flares, flags,
lanterns, or torpedoes at front of and at rear of train
during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.
13. Sits or rides in cab of locomotive to observe
signals from other crew members.
14. May make minor repairs to couplings, airhoses and
journal boxes, and report any equipment requiring major
repairs.
15. May talk to Engineer via radio to give or receive
switching information.
16. Other duties as requested or required.

Job Requirements:Education/Experience:
High school education or general education development
(GED).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of and skills in using various hand tools,
including sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, measuring
tapes, etc.
Knowledge of and skills in performing basic mechanical
repairs and maintenance.
Ability to read and comprehend written safety rules,
procedure and safety manuals, government regulations,
operating and maintenance instructions, memos and other
work-related information.
Ability to apply commonsense understanding to carry out
instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic,
or schedule form; and/or to apply principles of logic to
define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw
valid conclusions; and/or to apply principles of
rational systems to solve practical problems.
Ability to effectively communicate instructions,
directions, processes, procedures, safety rules and
regulations to co-workers, supervisors, and others in
written, oral, diagrammatic and schedule form.
Ability to make independent judgments using sound
reasoning skills and knowledge base.
Ability to think and act quickly in responding to
emergency and non-emergency situations.
. Ability to talk to and effectively communicate with
co-workers, yard personnel, switching crew, engineers,
railroad officials and others in a clear, concise,
courteous, efficient and professional manner.
Ability to pass training and required testing.

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative
of those that must be met by an employee to successfully
perform the essential functions of this job.
Specific vision abilities with this job require close
vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less); and distance
vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more); and peripheral
vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up
and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed
on a given point); and depth perception (three
dimensional vision, ability to judge distances); and
ability to adjust focus; and ability to identify and
distinguish colors in order to perform switching duties,
read railroad or yard traffic signals, hand signals,
lantern signals, and track obstructions and observe
other activities within railroad or yard traffic 100% of
time.
Must be able to talk and/or hear well enough to
communicate with co-workers, engineers, train crew, yard
crew, and customers 100% of time.
Must be able to climb and balance well enough to climb,
hold onto, and balance on ladder attached to side of
car; and/or climb ladder attached to side of car and
balance on top of car while turning brakewheel; and/or
climb steps on locomotive from level or uneven ground;
and/or climb on/off moving equipment 35% of time.
Must be able to stand and walk on level or uneven ground
70% of time.
Must be able to bend, twist, stoop 10% of time.
Must be able to push, pull, and/or lift, exerting up to
100 pounds of force, 10% of time.
Must be able to sit in cab of locomotive 20% of time.
Must be able to reach with hands and arms; and/or use
hands to feel or handle 60% of time.
Must be able to write legibly and use radio and
communication equipment.

Physical Dimensions:
The employee is required to exert up to 125 pounds of
force occasionally; and/or up to 100 pounds of force
frequently; and/or up to 75 pounds of force regularly.

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are
representative of those an employee encounters while
performing the essential functions of this job.
While performing the essential functions of this job the
employee is regularly exposed to a high noise level,
vibration, high and precarious places, heavy equipment,
weather conditions, heat from equipment/machinery,
sitting in semi-confined spaces for extended periods,
and exposure to fumes from oil, grease, and fuel.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
This job may train, supervise and coordinate the
activities of train crew.